The Poison Ledger
“No choice. Besides, they all had the means to take their own lives from the start.”
“Local thugs?”
“Not your average street punks. Anyway, we can verify that later. Right now, we need to find the ledger. Mind giving me a hand?”
“You said you called in people. Just ask the experts.”
“There's a reason for this. Help me out—time's not on our side.”
“Sigh, you're such a pain.”
The woman sighed and reluctantly got moving.
We split the area and began the search.
Naturally, I stuck close to her side.
“By the way... may I have your name?”
“Me? Oh, right—we haven't been properly introduced. Aness of the Imperial Knights. I already know your name, so no need to tell me.”
“Im... Imperial Knights?”
The empire's pinnacle of martial prowess, a group so elite even monsters among men could barely join.
Hearing her affiliation made the archery feat I'd just witnessed click into place instantly.
“What, got a problem with that?”
“N-no, sir. Just... impressive.”
“Impressive how? I don't even have as much money as you.”
She said it like it was nothing, but the Imperial Knights were on a whole different level.
Nobles who join elevate their family prestige, and commoners? Forget about it.
A commoner who serves in the Imperial Knights for a set period had a high shot at a barony.
And not some star-rank non-hereditary title—the real deal, full nobility.
I recalled hearing that Special Forces guys aimed not just for promotions, but for a spot in the Knights.
“Isn't being in the Knights more impressive than money?”
“Kiddo, what in the world tops money? Enough chit-chat—focus on searching. I wanna get out of this blood-soaked dump already.”
Pragmatic to a fault.
This was a new type for me.
Don't the Imperial Knights usually live and breathe their pride?
Even Derek carried himself with that knightly air.
But this woman in front of me—calling me "kiddo," looking like she'd be fun to hang with—was just... normal.
“Yes, ma'am...”
No point arguing; it'd just tarnish my image. I shut my mouth and focused on the search.
We rummaged and rummaged.
Opening every drawer one by one, something odd caught my eye.
This gap seems wider here.
Wooden floorboards.
Plywood pieced together, lines marking the seams—but one panel's gap was wider than the rest.
Creeeak, creeeak.
Stepping down hard, it groaned louder than the others.
How do I check this without tools...?
“Kiddo, find something?”
Aness approached and asked.
“The floor here feels off, so I was about to check it out.”
“This? Hmm.”
She tilted her head at the spot I pointed to.
“Might need to lift the floorboard, but I don't have any tools—”
“No time for tools.”
With that, Aness suddenly raised her foot.
And then...
She slammed it down with brutal force, splintering the plywood clean in two.
What the...?
How did legs that slim generate that kind of power?
I was too stunned to speak.
“What, problem?”
“N-no.”
“Anyway, kiddo—you nailed it.”
“Huh...?”
Looking under the shattered floor as she said it, there was a book.
“No wonder Eden sings your praises. You might actually be useful.”
“H-ha, no, just luck.”
“Luck's a skill too.”
Aness picked up the book and flipped it open.
“Ledger confirmed. Eden!!!”
Her shout hit operatic highs.
Did she train as a singer or something?
“Found it?”
“Yeah, your favorite subordinate did.”
“He always sniffs out what I need.”
Eden took the ledger and opened it.
“Deep connections everywhere. This'll be more useful than I thought.”
His lip curled in that demonic smirk again.
Blackmail material.
Plenty of noble family names in there, Tems aside.
The emperor just got a leash on them all.
“Bloated fivefold since the war started. Tsk, this damn security mess.”
Riiip.
Eden tore out a page as he spoke.
“Take this. It's the part about your family, Captain.”
“Ah... yes, sir.”
I took the paper and scanned it.
Tems Oclo: Purchased 10ml of odorless poison extract. Payment: 1,500 gold... Intended target: Palan Oclo. Date: TBD.
Purchase date, payment details, and more—all meticulously recorded.
A bit excessive?
No need to log that much for a simple poison sale.
“Sir, Eden... this...”
“Same thought here. Looks like a spy. Aditz, most likely—though other possibilities exist.”
Eden's face turned the most serious and grim I'd seen all day.
“We'll investigate this too... endless headaches. Already short-staffed as it is.”
“You always say that. Yet no new hires.”
Preach.
This was carbonated truth serum.
“Think anyone off the street could do the job?”
“Train 'em and they will. How hard can it be? Anyway, we're done?”
“Yeah. Thanks for the late assist. Dinner on me sometime.”
“Now that's a reward.”
Thud.
I thought Aness was leaving, but she suddenly plopped a hand on my head.
“Huh...?”
“Tough gig under Eden. Don't tough it out—run while you can.”
She ruffled my hair once and strode out without a backward glance.
Sis...
Best army-life advice I'd heard—pure empathy and motivation.
Damn near teared up.
“Aness hasn't changed.”
“Seems even tougher. No wonder guys flee every time she—”
Before Eden finished, an arrow whistled past his cheek—one centimeter from impact—embedding in the wall.
Cold-blooded.
“So, what brings you here so late?”
The family head's study—the quietest room in the mansion.
I stepped inside after ages.
“Got something to discuss. Important and sensitive—prefer it one-on-one.”
I glanced at Habel, the head butler standing by Father's side.
“Step out for a bit.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He left with a faintly uneasy look.
Tems's man.
Everyone in the family had ties to Tems Oclo.
He'd been the near-certain heir until a year ago.
“Speak.”
“Father, I've avoided messing with my brothers as much as possible. Especially the eldest—he must've been heartbroken yielding the heir position.”
Lie, of course.
Why would I keep two army vets in the family? I'm not insane.
Letting them off in their undies would be mercy.
“Wise thinking.”
“But if they come for me, that's different. No matter who.”
I placed the ledger page on the desk.
“What's this?”
“Eldest brother's harebrained scheme. I suspected, requested an official check—got this.”
Father swallowed hard, eyes scanning the paper.
“This... this...”
Eyes bulging, voice quaking.
Never seen him this rattled—not in Palan Oclo's memories either.
“Purchased odorless poison, prime for assassination. No need to spell out the target, right?”
“He... tried to kill you?”
“Yes. Coated the cookies I snack on evenings. I always check my food—otherwise, I'd be dead.”
“How could he make such a foolish—”
Not anger—disbelief, incomprehension.
Good call not telling him sooner.
Hard proof leaves no room for doubt.
He had to believe, like it or not.
Hence the reaction.
“Hoped till the end it wasn't true. Reality's cold, though.”
“How... haa, how do we handle this?”
“Friend's investigating. Begged him to let me pull this first. No punishment? We go full legal—major family fallout.”
Threatening tone.
But Broad Oclo should thank me.
This would've blown up eventually. I'm saving us now.
No eternal secrets—especially written ones.
“Sorry. Truly grateful.”
“No need. Overcoming this is heir material, right?”
Dramas always turn brotherly succession into bloodbaths.
This was easier than expected.
Credit to Tems Oclo's idiocy.
“Handle at dawn. Guards till then—stay safe.”
“Thank you, Father.”
His face etched with regret.
Minutes of talk aged him a decade.
“And the second son? How do you want to handle him? Doesn't seem involved, given his personality.”
Probably.
No way that coward pulls off poisoning.
Even if I died, he wouldn't jump to heir.
Still, keeping him around felt off.
If Tems dies, he's next in line—might sprout sudden guts.
Always best to nip threats.
“Second brother's smart enough. Send south? Peaceful life.”
“Thoughtful. Thank you.”
Broad nodded gratefully.
He had no clue.
The south would soon be frontline hell.
Go grind that brain in the trenches.
Busy fools don't scheme.
“As I said—leave them be, and I just wanna live normally.”
“Late. Rest. If uneasy, I'll prep a nearby room.”
“Good night, Father.”
Deep bow, then out.
Door shut; Habel slipped right back in.
“Talk go well?”
“Very. Time to toughen up.”
“Pardon...?”
Habel tilted his head at the cryptic words.
“Confine Tems Oclo now. Search my study and bedroom.”
“M-my lord, what—”
“Do it. Must I repeat?”
Broad Oclo's eyes blazed, ready to raze all.
Habel sensed it instinctively.
Tems Oclo's value vanished today.